*DO NOT SKIP THE NOTE HERE:-

Hello lovelies!!!
How are you all doing?
Yes, I am well too but as usual busy as hell and that'll continue for the next two months as my uni exams have began and that implies I won't be updating regularly. No promises on updates during this time but I'll try my best because I've to keep prioritising my life outside wattpad too. Hope you understand and will wait for the further updates.
Even though I'm tired of pointing it out again and again, the situation of the reponses from the readers is quite dissaponting. I don't get why will you invest your time in reading the story and not even give an appreciating feedback to the writer. I don't know what do you guys might say about this but seriously it hurts because I do feel not so great sometimes.
Anyways, I hope you all enjoy reading the chapter ahead.

💙

|Love is like a potter's wish.
Nobody but he knows how to mould and when to break|

by medicallymessedup

•past•

In an hour of emergency, Ruchi was hastily admitted into the ICU and after running a few tests on urgent basis, she was taken for an impromptu surgery which required skills for a critical conduct at the moment even for the doctors in watch of the patient's young age and hardly respiring state.

The team of special neurologists walked out after a tiring surgery that went on for seven hours and was immediately summoned by a distorted Sujal and Kartik who's sobs cracked through the inanimate corridors of the hospital's waiting lounge. The parlous sight seemed almost succumbing to the calamity bestowed upon them.

They were informed that Ruchi had a concussion from a hit in the head that led to a severe brain hemorrhage and had to be operated on, which would not have been avoided and they were asked to wait until the patient gains consciousness and be observed for any hidden damage or success of the surgery.

Hours passed and then another twenty-eight hours finished until Ruchi finally moved her fingers eager to feel her surroundings, her eyes hurt and mouth blanched when she tried to put them to use. The doctor noted her vitals and declared that she was out of danger and allowed the family to meet her.

"How are you, Baby?" Sujal asked softly grounded watching her wrapped in bandages barely leaving any part of her face visible, "How are you feeling?"

"Wa-water!" Her voice came strung-out by her far-fetched efforts to speak.

Sujal with the nurse's aid made her to drink water and stabled her head on the bed once again.

"M-my head pains, Bade-badepapa.." She uttered with great difficulty, "Why am I here?" She asked dubiously.

"Baby, you-"

"I wa-as a-at school. Bhai was supposed to pick me up." She mumbled to herself, "How did I come here?"

Sujal shook his head flummoxed overhearing her,"No bacha, you're at home with Sunil and in the-"

"N-Noo BadePa..pa, I was at school." She remained unmoving from her statement but her head broke in pain as confusion overcame her senses, "But, why am I here?" She asked again.

Sujal wanted to correct her but the doctor intervened in time and took over as he asked her some basic questions until the inoculated sedatives kicked in again and Ruchi fell asleep. The chief doctor overlooking her case called for Sujal in his cabin alone and his curbed apathetic expressions clearly conveyed nothing was alright.

And when the headline he delivered confirmed Sujal's intitution that shook off the turf holding his family in mere seconds. The happiness brought down in their lives left each of them scarred with eerie reminders inking their minds to their last breath. A cruel fate merged with helplessness to prevent the scary imprints behind on an unforgettable panel of their soul that'd be fondly called as a past. Their outrageous and detestable yesterday.

A thorough physical and mental examination of Ruchi had proved that she had lost a huge part of her memory or specially counted between the last ten months. The team of specialists also sanctioned that there was just an uncommon plausibility that the lost memories could be revived back except for some scarce hallucinations every then and now.

Sujal Batra could neither digest the news himself nor could his wife or son who were blanched to their foundations thinking about the cursed moment they had decided to leave Ruchi. How could they have turned blind to Ruchi's agony while trying to make peace with theirs. They knew she had no one to call as her own yet they showed her their backs due their own selfishness while Ruchi had to pay the price.

Now, Ruchi was deserted from the happenings that took place around and in her life. She was clueless about her past to the point she had no hint about the cruelty done by her father except the molestation episode that had outgrown in her nightmare and was embedded at the back of her mind like a breeding leech.

Everyone had to behave as if everything was normal in front of the Ruchi, who suffered an unending series of barbarism by her own father and mother but they vowed to never let her alone for any reason with anyone that shall cause her hurt.

For a change from the toxic environment the family of four shifted back to their native town with their parents who were shaken from the inhumanity shown by their youngest son towards his own blood. They refused to forgive him or their ex-daughter-in-law who was the cause behind Ruchi's unforgiving condition and continuously chastised Sunil for his wrongdoings.

All of them took care of Ruchi intricately observing the change in her otherwise outspoken, witty and cheerful personality to a much aloof, conservative and introverted demeanor. She'd barely speak or oppose anyone's wishes and accept anything just for the sake. The unwanted and bothersome metamorphosis in Ruchi's nature that succeeded after the incident worried her loved ones to no end.

She had made peace with everything around her without opposing the repercussions that'd come back at her sooner or later. The silence of the flowing river, the soothing sight of snow-capped mountain peaks, the rustling winds, the dew on the leaves of gulmohar tree adjacent to her window or be it the slightest of sun rays that played with her at dawns seeked her out a reason to keep going. There were days when nightmares galloped her breaths but her loved ones sat close, lulled her until she lost herself into a timeless slumber.

But, nothing could've matched the yearning for her father who didn't try to meet her once. Her eyes tore realizing she was the trouble in her father's life when each time he didn't force or even ask her to come back to the city at any given day she'd speak to him on the phone. The heart complained worn out of being deserted without getting an explanation of her faults but a determination to be significant in Sunil's life gave her an aim to be useful for her father in some way. She'd abide by his wishes, drink his silence and feed upon his indifference all to give fire to the hope that maybe someday he'll shower her the love she'd been deprived of since she could recall.

Someday, he'd proudly call her his daughter and pamper her to no ends which seemed a distant dream to everyone who witnessed her resolution for a man who didn't deserve to be a father in the first place.

🖤🖤🖤

On the other hand, Aryan had grown rebellious, poles apart from his soft-spoken nature unable to meet Ruchi for days and then months but he waited and waited for her and that one day she'd finally turn up to the school. He had secretly visited her house hopefully but his optimism had been crushed by her Aunt who allegedly conveyed that she'd not return back to the city again similarly Samiksha who couldn't meet her best friend or her brother to know about their location and each time the home landline was answered by Sushma, the vile dracula as named by Samiksha who was losing her shit at her friend's disappearance.

Samiksha had hissed at Aryan's laziness and claim of loving Ruchi when neither of them could find her whereabouts within the restraints of time. She had called Aryan a coward as he'd cry alone during lunch and fetch out his anger on others. He'd go berserk reliving the moments of their togetherness this way, Samiksha thought.

But one day both of their prayers for meeting Ruchi were finally answered, she finally turned to school after five unbearable months. Aryan's happiness knew no bounds as he hugged Samiksha out of sheer excitement which he was returned with a bruising punch on stomach but he still grinned at her.

He had eagerly straightened the creases on his uniform which was dusted due to the football match he'd been playing through the sports hour pouring his anger on the ball. There was no comb so he poured water on his hair ignoring his classmates who laughed at him, trying to appear the best in front of her so she'd fondly call him a gentleman.

His smile automatically doubled when he finally spotted her in her classroom because she didn't show up at their private spot behind the school canteen. The empty class heard his excited steps as he walked with a bated breath to the window corner where she sat on a bench staring outside where it was pouring down heavily.

Her eyes seemed gloomy to him but he was sure she'd brighten like a sun once she saw him here to meet her. Aryan cleared his throat and forwarded the orange peonies he'd pluck without anyone's notice from the in-built school nursery. But got startled when he didn't catch her looking back at him.

"Baby!" He slowly whispered, testing his own voice in front of her and when she stared up at him with a pure look of surprise, her gaze shifting to the flowers in his hand.

"How are you?" He asked as she stared at him wordlessly. "How is your fever? Where have you been? Do you feel better now? Didn't you miss me?" He poured the train of his questions all at once. He pinched a small space in-between his fingers waving it in front of her, "Not even this much!!?" He inquired, pouting sadly.

"Who are you?" She asked after a while, "You are not in my class." She asserted trying to remember if she saw him before somewhere.

"Baby, how can you forget me? I'm your Aloo-" He put forth dramatically, "I'm in the fifth standard, the class in the left corridor from yours is mine. I'm a year older than you so how can we study in the same class?"

He sat beside her on the desk, "I missed you so much when you're gone. More than you did ever miss me." He told warmly, holding her hand.

Aryan eyes then darted on her lunch that was filled with his favorites and his heart skyrocketed knowing that she brought it for him like she always did before she left. "Haww! You're eating Aloo without me. How can you betray your Aloo, Baby! I missed this." He conceded, tearing a morsel of the stuffed bread and dumping it into his mouth.

He talked for some more time but halted earning no response from her but caught her looking at him intensely. He stared at her chuckling with a coat of blush tinting his fluffy cheeks, "Do not look at me like that! I am sorry, I didn't let you say a word so far. He pondered in confusion, "But why are you not speaking, huh!?"

"I do not talk to strangers." She snapped and got up to leave the place which a stranger in her sense had accommodated when Aryan stopped Ruchi holding her arm and making her sit back beside him.

"I'm your Aloo, Baby!" He muttered sorrowfully, "Are you angry with me that I didn't come to meet you when you're unwell." He convinced himself sure that she disliked him not meeting her until now, "I came to your house but you're not there. I came! I swear!" He promised pinching his throat.

"Let me go!" Ruchi told him coldly but Aryan grabbed her shoulder, "But why?" He asked frustrated with her pessimistic actions, acceptable that she was angry at his indifference towards her approachable friendship but now he was ready to apologize for his remoteness and unavailability. He'd do anything to earn her forgiveness.

"I said leave me!"

"No! Hear me first-" He was persistent when he poked her cheeks with his hands.

"Leave me!" Ruchi shouted her alarmed instincts guarding her rather than feeling the familiarity of his touch. She began weeping and thrashing around surprising Aryan who didn't get anything from her unusual behavior. She had touched him before, held his hands, pinched his cheeks and even hugged her out of his wish then why was she relenting his efforts to reconcile now leaving him stumped.

A teacher who was passing by the classroom rushed inside hearing the noises. She spotted the scene where it displayed Ruchi sobbing and Aryan as the culprit precisely bullying as he was holding her in an alleged manner in the teacher's perspective.

The teacher separated Aryan from Ruchi in absolute anger and gripped his ear painfully rounding both of them to the in-charge's office where Aryan was charged for his indisciplined act while he pleaded the teacher to believe that they knew each other previously and were good friends.

Ruchi declined the claim, honestly being clueless and void of her bygone memories uprooting Aryan's faith when she refused to acknowledge his words. The teacher checked their identity cards that were printed with different classes and abruptly put down his pleas. They presumed Aryan was making up things to defend his mistake.

His parents were called to explain the act of misconduct by their child. Soham and Anchal were expelled after learning about their son's act who didn't accept his fault until the end of the fiasco inside the in-charge's office room. Both his parents somehow managed to assure the authoritative teachers and Aryan was spared with a warning. Yet, that didn't help Soham's anger at the latter.

"Go and bring your bag, Aryan!" Soham croaked but Aryan didn't hear him and ran away to where Ruchi was standing after being sent out the room before his parents arrived and was presently tearing in Samiksha's arms inconsolably.

Aryan turned her to himself and glared at her with fury, "Why did you lie there?" He demanded his gravel tone, unable to voice out the softness swirling inside his heart. "Did I ever hurt you, Baby?" He prompted, broke from the happenings as he was unaware of her lost memory.

"Go from here! You're very bad." Ruchi whimpered painfully, "You're just like them! You're a bad guy!" She was stabbed by his superficial actions and words. She never told a lie and here this unknown boy was labeling her as a liar. She couldn't help but assume that he was a bully who liked extracting fun from kids like her.

"I wanted to tell you that I love you!" Aryan screamed winded up by her heartless accusations, "But, I hate you now! I hate you so much, Baby!!!" He whisper-yelled at her face, shaking her by shoulders inviting tears that rained down her eyes witnessing his ruckus behavior.

"I hate you too!" She choked up, unable to withstand the strange feeling crawling up her heart but her pounding head won the debate and she pushed him away, ultimately losing consciousness and reeled down the floor.

The sound of gasps left everyone's mouth who onlooked the transpiring affair. Samiksha yelled at Aryan whose moistened eyes were glued at Ruchi's frame, troubled in between letting his heartbreak overpower his senses or the pious emotion he named love months ago.

The second one won trying to ease the pain caused to both him and her. He sat on the floor and placed Ruchi's head on his lap, tapping on her cheeks frantically calling out for her to wake up. He promised her he won't get angry anymore, willing to apologize for whatever hurt he caused to her, agreeing to talk softly and do anything she'd ask him. He didn't pay heed to Samiksha who just like him was disheveled watching her this way.

None around had the guts to stop anything until Anchal and Soham pulled Aryan away as the teachers took over, wheeling Ruchi out to the medical room and calling Kartik from his own classroom.

Meanwhile, Soham continued to drag an unflagging Aryan out of the school premises who was constantly seeking to stay back with Ruchi. He was unaware that it would be the last glance he'd have of hers in his memory store because this time he wasn't meeting her again.

Aryan had closed-off himself since that day, the day when she hurt him abstractedly which could only be given a remedy by the one who bestowed it upon him. 'His Baby' who vetoed to acknowledge him as a part of her life was miles apart from the one who had carelessly asked him to be his friend, who claimed him without his permission and then invalidated him on his face.

He shut up his emotions from the world when Soham blew up the decision of sending Aryan abroad for further studies to one of his most trusted family friends.

Aryan tried to escape it with the aid of his mother who was distressingly worried from watching the alteration of his persona and didn't oppose her husband's decision. Anchal tried to make her son understand that what he tried to do with the girl was wrong, he was supposed to be the good boy unlike what his detrimental gestures projected but Aryan was sure that he did nothing wrong and it was Ruchi who mistakenly portrayed him wicked in everyone's eye even if his heart combated with what his eyes perceived and mind comprehensed.

But over the years, he was somehow forced to believe that Ruchi Batra wasn't the one meant for him because just like she interpreted 'he was the bad guy' in her story.

And Ruchi even though being inseparable from his existing feelings could have never become a part of his life as the parched peonies symbolic of Aryan's love lay strewn across an abandoned room.

Lots of Love,

ANKITA